Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of equipment
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising a device which is capable of performing a function, and which is responsive to receipt of a predetermined wireless signal for nondestructively rendering itself incapable of thereafter performing said function except in response to the subsequent occurrence of a secure event originating externally of said device;
- wherein said device includes a weapon and said function involves operation of said weapon, said predetermined wireless signal causing said device to render said weapon inoperative except in response to the subsequent occurrence of the secure event originating externally of said device;
wherein said device includes a memory that stores an operating system of the device, and performs said function in dependence on at least a portion of said operating system in said memory; and
wherein said device is responsive to said wireless signal for automatically selectively erasing all or part of said operating system from said memory, said all or part of said operating system including said portion of said operating system, said device being incapable of regenerating said portion of said operating system by itself, and being incapable of performing said function without said portion of said operating system.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes a device which is capable of performing a function, and which is responsive to receipt of a predetermined wireless signal for nondestructively rendering itself incapable of thereafter performing the function. In one form of the invention, the capability of the device to perform the function can be restored by the occurrence of a secure event originating externally of the device. In a different form of the invention, the device includes a memory, and information stored in the memory is erased in order to render the device incapable of performing the function.
76 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising a device which is capable of performing a function, and which is responsive to receipt of a predetermined wireless signal for nondestructively rendering itself incapable of thereafter performing said function except in response to the subsequent occurrence of a secure event originating externally of said device;
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wherein said device includes a weapon and said function involves operation of said weapon, said predetermined wireless signal causing said device to render said weapon inoperative except in response to the subsequent occurrence of the secure event originating externally of said device; wherein said device includes a memory that stores an operating system of the device, and performs said function in dependence on at least a portion of said operating system in said memory; and wherein said device is responsive to said wireless signal for automatically selectively erasing all or part of said operating system from said memory, said all or part of said operating system including said portion of said operating system, said device being incapable of regenerating said portion of said operating system by itself, and being incapable of performing said function without said portion of said operating system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising a device which includes:
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a memory that stores an operating system for the device; a processor capable of performing a function in dependence on at least a portion of the operating system of the device; structure responsive to receipt of a predetermined wireless signal for nondestructively rendering itself incapable of performing said function by automatically selectively erasing all or part of said operating system from said memory, said all or part of said operating system including said portion of said operating system said device being incapable of regenerating said portion of said operating system by itself, and being incapable of performing said function without said portion of said operating system; and wherein said device includes a weapon and said function involves operation of said weapon, said predetermined wireless signal causing said device to render said weapon inoperative. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operating a device capable of performing a function, including the step of responding to receipt by said device of a predetermined wireless signal by nondestructively rendering said device incapable of thereafter performing said function except in response to the subsequent occurrence of a secure event originating externally of said device;
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wherein said device includes a weapon and said function involves operation of said weapon; wherein said step of rendering said device incapable of performing said function includes the step of rendering said weapon inoperative except in response to the subsequent occurrence of the secure event originating externally of said device; and further comprising; storing an operating system for the device in a memory; performing said function in dependence on at least a portion of said operating system in said memory; carrying out said step of rendering said device incapable of performing said function by selectively erasing all or part of said operating system said all or part of said operating system including said portion of said operating system; preventing said device from being capable of regenerating said portion of said operating system by itself; and preventing said device from being capable of performing said function without said portion of said operating system. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of operating a device which includes a processor and a memory, including the steps of:
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storing an operating system for the device in said memory; configuring said processor to be capable of performing a function in dependence on at least a portion of said operating system in said memory; and responding to receipt by said device of a predetermined wireless signal by nondestructively rendering said device incapable of performing said function, including the steps of; selectively erasing all or part of said operating system from said memory, said all or part of said operating system including said portion of said operating system; preventing said device from being capable of regenerating said portion of said operating system by itself; preventing said device from being capable of performing said function without said portion of said operating system; wherein said device includes a weapon and said function involves operation of said weapon; and wherein said step of rendering said device incapable of performing said function includes the step of rendering said weapon inoperative. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification